Using Hides In Tubs

So I have 4 of my hatchlings in some 12 quart IRIS tubs. My orange ghost is about 315 grams and my new black pastel is about 425 grams, the other two are still under 300 grams. For the bigger two girls, I can only fit one hide in their tubs and a water dish.

The orange ghost is my only troubled eater, she wouldnt eat f/t for me, so I switched to live. But after two succesful live feedings, she still managed to refuse the last feeding. Today is the next feeding attempt, so we will see how she does.

My question is: Should I always have two hides in hatchling tubs? Could the reason she isnt eating consistently be that she still feels insecure? Or should I be putting them into tubs where I can fit two hides and a water dish? I never see her roaming the tub, shes either lying down in her hide on the hot side, or under some fake leaves on the cool side. (Other than the hide issue, all other husbandry should be spot on. Temps and humidity are perfect) Heres some pictures:

Orange ghost's tub:
http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/9088/25161975.jpg

Black pastel's tub:
http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/9111/81018895.jpg

Id leave them in the tubs where they are. Any bigger and they might stress out. Give them a little bit longer, set up looks great though :D

Matt, I wouldn't be so quick to pinpoint the hides as a trouble spot. If she refuses three in a row, I'd start looking for a stressor in the tub set up.

I know quite a few owners who don't use any hides at all inside tubs and their snakes do just fine. Having said that, I personally prefer to use hides in my Iris MCB tubs.

Could be that your OG Girl is just being pickey, though, I'm not trying to wish that on you.

Can you go to a larger tub for her so you can fit a pair of hides? I've never had a problem with putting hatchlings straight into a 32 Qt Iris MCB-L. I just fill up the space with extra hides and a little crumpled newspaper.

How was she housed with the breeder? If she was eating successfully for them, then maybe try mimicking their set up.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mattchibi

The orange ghost is my only troubled eater, she wouldnt eat f/t for me, so I switched to live. But after two succesful live feedings, she still managed to refuse the last feeding. Today is the next feeding attempt, so we will see how she does.

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I think you're jumping the gun on calling her a troubled feeder. As Slim mentioned, a lot of people don't use any hides at all. I only use a hide for one of my balls, who is a sporadic feeder, and remains to be a sporadic feeder, hide or no hide. The rest of mine, without hides, eat just fine.

I really have not seen any difference in one or 2 hides in my rack tubs. When there is one hide, the snake just moves it to wherever they want it.